ISIS video shows beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff

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A video that shows the beheading of American Steven Sotloff was delivered as a “second message to America” to halt airstrikes in Iraq, following through on a threat to kill the journalist.

In the video posted Tuesday online, Sotloff says — in a message surely scripted by his captors — that he is “paying the price” for U.S. military intervention.

The intelligence community in the United States is working to confirm the authenticity of the video. But the journalist’s family appeared to believe he had been killed by ISIS, which refers to itself as the Islamic State.

“The family knows of the video and is grieving privately,” family spokesman Barak Barfi said.

The killing of Sotloff follows a threat last month by ISIS made during the videotaped beheading of American journalist James Foley. The latest video threatens the life of another man, who the terror group identifies as David Haines of Britain.

A masked ISIS figure in the new video speaks to U.S. President Barack Obama, telling him, “Just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”

The Islamic State has thrived and mutated during the civil war in Syria. It swept into Iraq in June, seizing large swaths of the country’s Sunni-dominated northern and western provinces.

Obama ordered targeted airstrikes in Iraq to begin in early August after ISIS fighters began targeting ethnic Yazidis and launching attacks toward the Kurdish regional capital of Irbil.

ISIS appeared to date the execution video of Sotloff, referencing specific U.S. military actions in recent days, including U.S. airstrikes that helped over the weekend to break the siege of Amerli — a northern Iraqi town home to thousands of minority Shiite Turkmen.

Intelligence officials are analyzing the video, trying to answer some key questions, a senior U.S. administration official said.

Among the questions, the official said: When it was shot? Where was it shot? Is the killer in the Sotloff video the same one in the Foley video?

Until they answer those questions, the official said the administration does not want to speculate.

It’s believed ISIS is still holding a “small number” of Americans hostage, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

ISIS: ‘Back off and leave our people alone’

The militant heard on the video then goes on to threaten the life of Haines.

“We take this opportunity to warn those governments who’ve entered this evil alliance of America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone,” the militant says.

CNN could not immediately confirm who Haines is, or when he was taken by ISIS.

But the Washington Post reported he was an aid worker abducted in March 2013. The newspaper, citing unnamed aid workers involved in efforts to gain his release, said he was abducted near a refugee camp in the northern Syrian province of Idlib.

British Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters he was aware of reports about the video and called Sotloff’s killing “an absolutely disgusting and despicable act.”

Who was Sotloff?

Sotloff disappeared while reporting from Syria in August 2013, but his family kept the news secret, fearing harm to him if they went public. Out of public view, the family and government agencies had been trying to gain his release for the past year.

Last week, Sotloff’s mother, Shirley Sotloff, released a video pleading with ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi not to kill her son.

“Steven is a journalist who traveled to the Middle East to cover the suffering of Muslims at the hands of tyrants. Steven is a loyal and generous son, brother and grandson,” she said. “He is an honorable man and has always tried to help the weak.”

Her plea was met with taunting responses on social media by ISIS supporters.

Sotloff, 31, grew up in South Florida with his mother, father and younger sister. He majored in journalism at the University of Central Florida. His personal Facebook page lists musicians including the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Miles Davis and movies including “Lawrence of Arabia” and “The Big Lebowski” as favorites. On his Twitter page, he playfully identifies himself as a “stand-up philosopher from Miami.”

He graduated from another college, began taking Arabic classes and subsequently picked up freelance writing work for a number of publications, including Time, Foreign Policy, World Affairs and The Christian Science Monitor. His travels took him to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey — among other countries — and eventually Syria.

Sotloff contributed to Time magazine, among other publications.

Editor Nancy Gibbs said the magazine’s staff is “shocked and deeply saddened” by the reports of his death.

“He gave his life so readers would have access to information from some of the most dangerous places in the world,” she said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”

Sotloff brings the number of journalists killed in Syria to at least 70, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

More than 80 have been kidnapped in Syria since the civil war began, with many going unpublicized, the group said.

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible the murder of journalist Steven Sotloff. He, like James Foley, went to Syria to tell a story. They were civilians, not representatives of any government. Their murders are war crimes and those who committed them must be brought to justice swiftly,” CPJ said.

Response from the White House

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour said that Sotloff’s killing will step up pressure on Obama to devise a strategy to combat ISIS. Several other experts agreed.

On Friday, Obama said it was too soon to discuss what steps the U.S. would take against the militant group inside Syria. On how to deal with the group in Syria — where it was born and has a haven, mostly in the city of Raqqa — the President said: “We don’t have a strategy yet.”

Obama said that he had asked America’s top defense officials to prepare “a range of options.”

White House spokesman John Earnest spoke to reporters just after word came about Sotloff’s killing.

“This is something that the administration has obviously been watching very carefully since this threat against Mr. Sotloff’s life was originally made a few weeks ago,” Earnest said. “Our thoughts and prayers first and foremost are with Mr. Sotloff and Mr. Sotloff’s family and those who worked with him.”

marc schmidt

Yes, Dan, the Nation obviously needs heroes like you. Go put on your Ninja dress and take the first flight to Bagdad. Decapitation is sick and cruel. Decelebration is pretty unpleasant as well. At least for the observers.

informed

informed

Yeah we sure did, an economy that is coming back it would be better if we didn’t have those tresonist do nothing only care about them self’s REPUBLICANS by the way save your talking points for people that don’t have a clue like you PS/check you golf and vacation facts before you sound more ignorant

Brittany

Rifftop

No …..people suffer because of an inept, weak hack in the white house. The vile killers, terrorists, including Putin perceive this weakness and failure to respond to such extreme events that do affect Americans directly or indirectly and know they can kill, slaughter and terrorize anyplace they wish with no repercussion. It’s a prelude to coming to the US. Unfortunately you live in a nation viewed and expected to lead and respond to world events, whether you want to be involved or not. The nation cannot afford a lying, double dealing fool leaving us vulnerable to all the psychopaths on this planet.

Anon

You’re directing your anger at the wrong people. This is a travesty… and it is taking every ounce of strength i have to try and maintain a non-violent attitude towards this group despite their despicable cowardice. No one deserves any of this nonsense, and to say that explicitly is horrible. I’d call you a psychotic moron, but that would be doing you too much justice. I will say, however, that you and ISIS have a lot in common. I hope that keeps you up at night; you unfeeling, hateful, scab.

Jacob Otieno

You guys need to back off the president is trying and he needs a break sometime hes got to much going on you try being the pres. For ounce this is tough and its hard for him to make a desision like this so back off him!!!!

George Smith

Didn't Vote For Odamna

Obama don’t care about America! Hell, it’s his people that are killing Americans. His plan is coming together and he will continue to do nothing while America keeps suffering under this “wannabe dictator”!!

fuck Obama

U.S.A.

This never would have happened had Obama not rushed the troops out of Iraq. I bet most soldiers would have wanted to stay an extra year instead of coming out early and losing all they fought for. When James Foley was killed, David Cameron, the U.K. Prime Minister, cut his vacation short. Foley wasn’t even a U.K. Citizen! When Obama heard, he hosted a press conference and then got right back to golfing. Yes, presidents need breaks, probably more than most people. But when disaster strikes, they should be ready to set all personal business aside. BTW Obama says he has no strategy for fighting ISIS. How does he think he can end the terrorist threat by doing nothing? I’m all for being fair with him, but this is too much. Even Joe Biden would be a better president.